Treatment
Patellar tendon rupture must be treated through surgery. In the surgery, an incision is made in the skin over the rupture, the site of which is identified. The tendons are retracted so surgeons may inspect the femur. The tendon ends are then sewn together.
A cast or brace is then put over where the operation took place. The cast or brace remains for at least 6 weeks followed by an unidentified time of rehabilitation of the knee.
The usual risks of surgery are involved including: infection, stiffness, suture reaction, failure of satisfactory healing, risks of anesthesia, phlebitis, pulmonary embolus, and persistent pain or weakness after the injury and repair.
If the tendon rupture is a partial tear (without the two parts of the tendon being separated) then non-surgical methods of treatment may suffice. The future of non-surgical care for partial patella tendon ruptures is likely bioengineering. Ligament reconstruction is possible using mesenchymal stem cells and a silk scaffold. These same stem cells were capable of seeding repair of damaged animal tendons.
Read more about this topic: Patellar Tendon Rupture
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